COURAGE WHEN HELPLESS
This Sunday, the Word of God speaks the truth to the face of conventional ideas about what it means to be great. It shows us that God comes to us when we are at our weakest, and it extends an invitation to change our lives and the way we relate to others. We need to be humble and brave enough to let go of our need for control and accept God's will as it is.
The First Reading is about Elijah the prophet and his life-altering encounter with God on Mount Horeb. Since he was being chased by his adversary, Elijah hid out in a mountain cave. He was in the midst of a mental, emotional, and spiritual crisis. He wanted to end his life because he was hungry, tired, and disappointed. This was a dramatic turn of events, as Elijah had been victorious just days before. He was solely responsible for the deaths of 450 prophets of the pagan god Baal. This is not a man you want to get on the wrong side! However, a crisis may serve as a catalyst for change. On the mountain, God dramatically revealed Himself to Elijah through a breeze, rather than an earthquake, a storm, or fire. That is to say, the power of God lay not in brutality but in gentleness.
The story of the Gospel teaches us that true strength lies not in fleeting arrogance but in putting one's trust in others, no matter how small or weak they may seem. The apostles experienced similar apprehension while being tossed about in their boat during a violent storm. Fear was amplified when they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them through the storm and darkness. They believed it be a ghost or a mysterious apparition. They looked, but they didn't recognize Jesus. The recognition came only after He spoke; only after they heard His voice, His Word. What exactly did He say? Do not be frightened; it is I, who says, "Take courage." [Mt 14:27] The Greek phrase ego eimi literally means "I am," but it is often translated as "It is I." And with these two words, we are brought full circle to the moment when God revealed His name to Moses at the burning bush: "Tell the Israelites I AM (ego eimi) has sent me to you." [Ex 3:14] Therefore, Jesus' divine nature was made known through His dominion over the natural world when He walked on the waves of the sea and through His Word: "I AM."
However, the apostles had doubts as usual. Like us, they had shaky faith at times. Is it any surprise that Jesus repeatedly reassured them not to be afraid, just as He does with us today? While walking toward them on the water, Jesus began to speak, bridging the gap between them and God. Our faces can finally be revealed. Now that He invites us into friendship, into a holy, individual relationship, we need not be afraid of Him. But on the water that day, it was not yet clear. Just what is Peter up to? He dared to question God's authority. Weak in faith, we test God, looking for a bargaining chip: "Okay, God, prove yourself to me. "Here, do that." As a paraphrase, Peter pleaded, "If it is You, let me walk on the water too." One word came from Jesus' lips: "Come," the same word He says to each of us. [Mt 14:28] Come.
If you're feeling overwhelmed, just come to Me and I'll help. In response, Peter gets out of the boat and takes a leap of faith. But then, human nature being what it is, he gives in to his fears and abandons his faith. He takes his focus off Jesus and onto the wind and the waves, and he starts to sink under the weight of his own doubt and fear. With a moniker like, "The Rock", Peter, I find it hard to believe that he floated for long. In contrast, emotional Peter doesn't think twice before crying out in fear, "Lord, save me!" — the very words we cry out when our own faith fails. Naturally, Jesus answers right away. He reaches out, grabs Peter, and yanks him away from harm. On the shores of the Sea of Galilee, Peter learned a valuable lesson. It wasn't the male machismo, strength, or competence assumed to be necessary for success in a society predicated on the principle of "survival of the fittest." Rather, Peter's journey to Christ was sustained by the power of faith, trust, and surrender. The lesson for us, in this whole episode, is that it is not because of our good works or our strong faith that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. He is our Savior because He saves us out of love. We can experience the wonder of having a personal relationship with God because He is first and foremost our Savior. Fr Tom Kunnel, C.O.